Last July, I posted about having brake fade at 120+ mph ... now I have video :) - Toyota Nation Forum : Toyota Car and Truck Forums

JekylandHyde · 02-15-2007, 07:12 PM

We had a huge MR2 meet in Kingston Canada and we had some track time set up on the Fabi circuit at Shannonville Raceway. the front straight of Fabi is a 1/4-mile and they use it for drags.

On lap 2, I came blasting down at 120+ (after just flying past Bill Strong, owner of www.mr2oc.com) and I had terrible brake fade and the car would no stop.

I missed turn #1 and I was heading towardf a rather intimdating wall lined with tires head-on. My plan was to turn the car and shoot out the grass after turn #1 ... as I was about to do that, I saw a large, 2-foot square concrete block that was about 6" tall in the grass so I bailed on that idea.

... the wall was coming up fast and I REALLY did not want to go noses-first into it, so right after the concrete block I just nailed the wheel and spun the car into grass coming - literally - within inches of the wall.

Spectator video is no released:
http://video.google.ca/videoplay?doc...36207766552119

If you watch this next video, it is in-car of Bill Strong's MR2. You will get an idea of how fast I blew past him. He was in a 91 NA MR2.
http://video.google.com/videoplay?do...kingston&hl=en

***MR2Jedi*** · 02-15-2007, 09:26 PM

yeah, you blew by him alright ! You lucky SOB..! Well, glad nothing happened to you and Hyde...So what causes the brake fade?

Zz_005_zZ · 02-15-2007, 10:07 PM

Do u think it necessary to have Power Steering to run SCCA?? Cause I can imagine it to be a bit harder. Also I can't imagine how scary that must have been!!! Whew

JekylandHyde · 02-16-2007, 05:16 AM

MR2BAD, brakes tranfser kinetic energy (spinning wheels) into heat.
Once they get too hot, they can not transfer anymore energy until they cool down.
I instantly overheated the system and it just would not stop ... it was slowing, but not at an acceptable rate

My pads were not up to the lefvel of the car and the driving conditions presented.

Zz, I got rid of power steering 2 years ago. I hate it for racing. The MR2 P/S is only on at low speeds anyway, so when you a re really racing hard it isn't even doing anything.

***MR2Jedi*** · 02-16-2007, 05:52 AM

Oh Thanks..And I didn't know that about the P/S only engaged at lower speeds...
and that must've been a rush ! You handled it well though....

JekylandHyde · 02-16-2007, 08:10 AM

I think I've just been in too many accidents and spun too many MR2s for it to realyl affect me much anymore.

Last night, I was going a bit too fast one ice/snow roads in my 85 MR2 and the rear end stepped out. I hugn it out sideways for about 40 feet with the headlights lighting up the snow-packed gaurdrail as I sailed by. I finally got the rear end back in line, but it went to far and I spun the car completely around 2.5 times and came to a dead stop perpedicular to the lane of travel with my headlights lighting up the snow-packed concrete median divider.

Maybe I should have been going slower

Komodo · 02-16-2007, 08:30 AM

Do you have the 93 brake set-up on hyde?
Are you planning to do to correct the fading issues while on track?

JekylandHyde · 02-16-2007, 08:37 AM

At the time of that spin, I had 91T brakes, Porterfield R4S pads and Valv synthetic Dot4 fluid with stock rotors.

A week later I switched to Porterfield R4E pads and ATE Super Blue fluid.
That car has been significantly better, but we are upgrading the brakes more over the winter.
Update on that when the winter work is complete.

Komodo · 02-16-2007, 08:43 AM

Exact same set-up I have on my car 91 with RS4 and the valvoline dot4.
And I found them to fade also.
Been contemplating the 93 set-up but been wanting a BBK. I admit I'm shallow and like the look of big brakes. I could probably get away with a 93 set-up with better fluid and pads but I keep holding out for the BBK. There just something about big brakes that I can't let the dream go.